Brightlio Blog

Introduction

Businesses require communication solutions that facilitate internal and external collaboration. Hence, many companies now rely on Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). Brightlio compares different UCaaS tools to help you select the right option for your business. This article compares Vonage vs. Nextiva based on various categories: cost-effectiveness, integrations, customer support, deployment, and performance. 

While both tools are popular UCaaS solutions, they have clear-cut differences. Continue reading to learn which solution will best suit your business needs.

Nextiva Rundown

Nextiva is a cloud-based communications provider for businesses. It started in 2006 in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a UCaaS solution, Nextiva offers video conferencing, secure voice calls, file sharing, and instant messaging. 

Boasting over 100,000 users, Nextiva offers contact center, analytics, and business communications services. Customers also enjoy advanced VoIP functions like call routing, call recording, voicemail to text, and admin management.

For improved workflow, Nextiva offers the choice of using the built-in CRM functionality or connecting CRMs like G Suite, Salesforce, and Zendesk. It is a flexible business phone service that users can use easily on mobile and desktop platforms. 

Vonage Rundown

Founded in 1998 by Jeff Pulver, Vonage is a cloud-based business phone system and a subsidiary of Ericsson. The company was originally a VoIP exchange for consumers but transitioned into the B2B market in 2013. 

Vonage offers communications services like contact center, conversational commerce, unified communications, and communications APIs. Its UCaaS platform is called Vonage Business Communications (VBC). Vonage also offers SD-WAN solutions with their SmartWAN solution.

With VBC, subscribers can access their business phone system using any internet-enabled device. This facilitates easy voice calls, video conferences, and text messaging. 

Vonage works for businesses of all sizes: from small startups to large organizations. It also allows integration with CRM software that help companies manage their customers, like Zendesk and Salesforce. 

Nextiva vs. Vonage: Comparing Pricing and Service Tiers

Let’s look at how Vonage and Nextiva differ in pricing and features offered per plan. 

Nextiva Pricing and Service Tiers

Nextiva offers three active service tiers; Essential, Professional, and Enterprise. The pricing depends on the number of employees using the service. Below, we outline the cost and features of each service tier.

Nextiva Essential

This is Nextiva’s base plan, and here’s what the pricing looks like:

• 1-4 users: $30.95/month per user ($21.71 annually)
• 5-19 users: $29.95/month per user ($20.96 annually)
• 20-99 users: $25.95/month per user ($17.96 annually)
• 100 users and above: $24.95/month per user ($17.21 annually)

Some of the features available for this plan are listed below:

• Toll-free numbers
• Unlimited voice
• Desktop and mobile app
• Video meetings (45-minute duration)
• File sharing
• Google and Outlook contact integrations
• Unlimited internet fax

Nextiva Professional

This plan is a good fit for smaller organizations. Here’s a breakdown of how much it costs: 

• 1-4 users: $35.95/month per user ($25.46 annually)
• 5-19 users: $33.95/month per user ($23.96 annually)
• 20-99 users: $30.95/month per user ($21.71 annually)
• 100 users and above: $29.95/month per user ($20.96 annually)

The Professional plan includes all features in Essential in addition to the following:

• Unlimited conference calls (for up to 40 participants)
• Desktop and mobile MMS/SMS
• Multi-level auto attendant
• Integration with HubSpot and Salesforce CRM
• Screen sharing

Nextiva Enterprise

The Enterprise offering is great for small and medium-sized teams. It is Nextiva’s most popular plan. Pricing for this service tier is outlined below: 

• 1-4 users: $45.95/month per user ($32.96 annually) 
• 5-19 users: $43.95/month per user ($31.46 annually)
• 20-99 users: $40.95/month per user ($29.21 annually)
• 100+ users: $39.95/month per user ($28.46 annually)

Enterprise subscribers enjoy all the features in the Professional plan plus the following: 

• Single sign-on
• Call recording
• Voicemail transcription
• Unlimited video conference calls (unlimited participants)
• Integration with Microsoft Teams and option for custom integrations

Vonage Pricing and Service Tiers

Like Nextiva, Vonage has three primary plans; Mobile, Premium, and Advanced. Additionally, its pricing is dependent on the number of users per tier. Below is a quick rundown of Vonage’s plans and pricing.

Vonage Mobile

Here’s how Vonage’s starter plan is priced: 

• 1–4 users: $19.99/month per user
• 5–19 users: $17.99/month per user
• 20–99 users: $14.99/month per user 
• Vonage offers specialized plans for teams that exceed 100 users, and Brightlio can help you find the best deals. 

Below are most of the features you get with the Vonage Mobile plan:

• Access to mobile and desktop apps
• Unlimited calls and messaging
• Vonage App Center
• Unlimited team messaging

Vonage Premium

This plan takes collaboration a step further by providing IP PBX technology in addition to desktop and mobile apps. See how it’s priced:

• 1–4 users: $29.99/month per user
• 5–19 users: $27.99/month per user 
• 20–99 users: $24.99/month per user 
• This plan also has custom pricing for over 100 users, and Brightlio can get you the best price quote.

This plan includes all features accessible to Vonage Mobile subscribers, plus the following: 

• CRM Integration
• Unlimited meetings for up to 100 participants
• IP desk phone capability
• Multi-level auto attendant

Vonage Advanced

Subscribers of Vonage’s highest-tier plan enjoy more in-depth functionality. See how the plan is priced: 

• 1–4 users: $39.99/month per user
• 5–19 users: $37.99/month per user
• 20–99 users: $34.99/month per user  
• One hundred users and above have a custom quote. Contact Brigthlio for the most favorable price quotes. 

In addition to all features available on the Vonage Premium plan, users also have access to the following:

• Call Group 
• Call Recording for up to 15 hours 
• Visual Voicemail

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Affordability and Cost Effectiveness

Considering only pricing, Vonage comes out on top as it is more affordable for teams of all sizes. Vonage’s Mobile plan starts at $19.99 (1-4 users) monthly, while Netiva’s Essential plan begins at $30.95 (1-4 users) monthly.

Vonage is also the better option when we factor in value for money. This is because Nextiva only offers an avenue for internal and external live chat integration on its Enterprise plan, which is its most expensive plan. However, subscribers of any of Vonage’s plans can use this feature as a minor additional expense.

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Integrations

Most businesses require technological solutions that can be integrated easily with other popular business software. The table below shows the tools you can integrate with Vonage and Nextiva. 

Software	Nextiva Integrations	VBC Integrations
Agency Matrix	✔️	✔️
Airtable	✔️	✔️
Act!	✔️	❌
BeInContact	❌	✔️
Bubble	❌	✔️
Bullhorn ATS & CRM	✔️	✔️
Confer With	❌	✔️
ConnectWise	✔️	✔️
Copper	❌	❌
Courier	❌	✔️
1CRM	❌	❌
Cyclr	❌	✔️
DataOrb	❌	❌
Detrack	❌	✔️
Fimble	❌	✔️
Five9	✔️	❌
Genesys Cloud CX	❌	❌
Goldmine	✔️	❌
Gong.io	❌	✔️
Google Workspace	✔️	✔️
Grasshopper	❌	❌
HubSpot CRM	✔️	✔️
Kustomer	❌	❌
Mattermost	❌	✔️
Microsoft Office365	✔️	✔️
Microsoft Teams	✔️	✔️
Netsuite	✔️	✔️
Notify.Events	❌	✔️
Okta	❌	✔️
Pipedream	❌	❌
Retail Choreography Suite	❌	✔️
Rippling	✔️	❌
Salesboom CRM Suite	❌	❌
Salesforce Sales Cloud	✔️	✔️
ServiceNow	✔️	✔️
Skype	❌	✔️
Slack	✔️	✔️
Smartflow	❌	❌
Smith.ai	✔️	❌
Solitics	❌	✔️
Splunk On-Call	❌	❌
StaffConnect	❌	✔️
SugarCRM	✔️	✔️
Telegram	❌	✔️
Tenfold	✔️	✔️
Textline	❌	✔️
TickTick	❌	❌
UltraSMSScript	✔️	✔️
VCDoctor Lifecare	❌	✔️
Vonigo	❌	❌
Webex	❌	✔️
Xplenty	❌	❌
YepCode	❌	✔️
Zendesk	✔️	✔️
Zoho CRM	✔️	✔️

Although both software solutions support integration with popular CRMs like Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and Salesforce, Vonage has more integration possibilities. However, you must upgrade to the Premium or Advanced plan to access the most advanced integrations on Vonage. 

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Customer Support

Customers look out for UCaaS solutions that respond to service issues in real-time. Between Vonage and Nextiva, which communication service is equipped to tackle your problems quickly? The table below shows a comparison of available customer support for both software.

Customer Support	Nextiva Support	VBC Support
Email	✔️	✔️
FAQs/Forum	✔️	✔️
Knowledge Base	✔️	✔️
Live Chat	✔️	✔️
Phone Support	✔️	✔️

With access to online forums, email, and forum support, customers receive the required support on both platforms. Nextiva emphasizes its online ticketing support feature and asserts it provides live chat where needed. So while the tool has excellent technical support, there may be no live standby support. 

On the other hand, Vonage has clear-cut business hours for phone and live chat support, which is an advantage for Vonage.

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Supported Operating Systems

It is essential to select VoIP solutions that have easy accessibility across different devices and operating systems. Find out which operating systems are compatible with Vonage and Nextiva in the table below.

Platform Supported	Nextiva	VBC
Android	✔️	✔️
IOS	✔️	✔️
Mac	✔️	✔️
SaaS/Web-based	✔️	✔️
Windows	✔️	✔️

Both solutions are available on mobile app stores (iOS and Android) and have Mac and Windows apps. Since Vonage and Nextiva also work on web-based platforms, you won’t have problems accessing the tools from most devices and operating systems. 

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Performance and Reliability

The performance of a business phone system is highly dependent on internet connectivity. So, SD-WAN implementation and dedicated internet deployment are great ways to augment video and call quality. 

Nonetheless, high-percentage uptime indicates reliability, and Vonage and Nextiva offer 99.999%, meaning that customers only experience downtime for a few minutes annually. So, you can rely on both tools almost whenever. Additionally, Vonage and Nextiva also provide HD voice calls.

Vonage vs. Nextiva: Final Verdict

After a thorough cross-examination of both UCaaS solutions, here’s what we learned:

• Vonage is a more affordable option for businesses as its base plan costs less than Nextiva’s 
• Vonage can be integrated with more tools 
• Both communications solutions have reliable customer support
• Vonage and Nextiva are available across mobile and desktop platforms
• Both tools have 99.999% SLA, meaning customers have little to no downtime 

So, what’s the final verdict? 

This one is very close. Both solutions offer great support, reliability, and integrations. Vonage offers more integration options and is a more cost-effective tool. Brightlio gives the slight edge to Vonage, but the better solution will depend on your needs and budget.

Brightlio Delivers UCaaS Solutions!

As a telecommunications broker, Brightlio partners with unified communications providers to deliver solutions that meet our customers’ needs and budgets.  If you are looking for a VoIP provider, we welcome the opportunity to be a resource for you.

We also offer other technology services, including colocation, network connectivity, public cloud, and advisory services. Contact Brightlio today for a consultation or quote! 

If you found this article helpful, you may like our other UCaaS comparisons: 

• Vonage vs. Google Voice
• Vonage vs. RingCentral
• Dialpad vs. Nextiva
• Dialpad vs. Google Voice
• Dialpad vs. RingCentral
• Ooma vs. Vonage
• 8×8 vs. RingCentral
• 8×8 vs. Vonage
• 8×8 vs. Dialpad

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Fax a Document with Nextiva?

Subscribers of all Nextiva’s plans can fax as unlimited online faxing is available on all their service tiers.

Can I Purchase Desk Phones from Nextiva or Vonage?

Nextiva has 41 phones for sale and adapters and headphones from brands like Yealink and Cisco. Vonage also partners with brands like Polycom and Panasonic to sell phones, routers, and adapters.

Can I Make International Calls with Vonage or Nextiva?

Vonage and Nextiva offer unlimited calling in the US. Vonage allows its subscribers to make calls to Canada and Mexico. They also have the option to pay per minute for international calls. Similarly, Nextiva offers international calls to countries like Brazil, China, France, and Denmark as a feature, and subscribers also pay per minute.